The blonde squinted exasperatedly at the map in her hand, as if staring at it with enough annoyance would cause the thing to speak, and actually give her directions, instead of leaving her to decipher them on her own. She was once again in the middle of the quad, the same quad she kept finding herself in no matter which direction she went. She was close to believing she had stepped into some parrallel universe where she'd never find her way, and would be forever trapped amongst students who shoved rudely past her. They all know where they're going, she thought, a scowl creasing her brows, or they're at least doing a damned decent job of pretending they do.
"Hey," a voice boomed behind her, causing the girl to jump. "You look a little lost." She spun on her heel and found herself staring not at someone's face, but more like, someone's well muscled, ridiculously defined pectorals.
"Uh, yeah," she ran a hand through her hair as she looked up, a little disappointed that a guy with such an amazing body could have such a grody face. He smiled and she quelled a shiver of disgust. Brush your teeth much? "Actually, I am a little lost. I'm looking for Doredy Hall, but it seems to be avoiding me."
"Oh, that's no problem," he placed an arm around her shoulders, "I can show you where that building is...by the way, did I mention my name?"
The blonde opened her mouth to reply, as she worked futilely to keep her eyes from watering at the foul odor that emenated from his mouth, but was interrupted before she began, by a brunette who appeared from nowhere at her elbow. "No, you didn't mention your name," she grabbed the blonde's arm, pulling her away from I-bathe-once-a-millenia boy, "and I don't think you need to, that's really cruel you know." She continued, jabbing the guy in his chest.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"God only knows what diseases you've infected her with just by touching her. Not cool man, not even cool."
His eyes narrowed dangerously, "You're such a little--"
"Bitch, skank, hoe?" The auburn haired girl filled in with an air of indifference. "I've heard them all before...and hearing it from you is just pretty damned laughable. C'mon," she pulled on the blonde's arm, "we're leaving." and drug her off before she could get a word in edgewise.
The honey-haired girl followed with no resistance, trying to ignore the curses that were being thrown their way. God! Am I ever gonna get to Doredy Hall? In oh, I don't know, at least this century! And who..."Woah, woah, wait!" She snatched her arm from the other girl's grasp. "Who are you?"
"Ashley." she adjusted her baseball cap with a sigh, pulling a piece of paper from her back pocket, unfolding it to reveal her next scheduled class. Her eyes quickly scanned the page, before she gave a curt nod, folded it once again, and returned it to its original spot.
"Okay Ashley, I'm Spencer." She paused, thinking she would get a response, but Ashley only stared at her with a faint look of boredom, making itself known, on her face. Neat, she's a talkative one, isn't she? "Right...look, I was just about to find out where Doredy Hall was before you came and kamikazed that particular plan."
Ashley rolled her eyes, "Whatev, that was Tyler, and if he had his way, you would not be going to...what was that building again?"
"Doredy." ...stupid... "And what the hell?"
"You're a freshman right?" Spencer nodded, not really understand what that had to do with anything. "Well, we can tell who the freshmen are on campus."
"No you can't!" Spencer exclaimed, embarrassed indignation coloring her cheeks.
"Uhhh, yeah we can. You all wander around looking lost, with your little maps pulled out and held up to the sun like your worshiping some greek god...long of the short is, Tyler likes to take advantage of scared little freshman girls like yourself" Ashley lowered her sunglasses so she could look directly into Spencer's eyes. "And a piece like you? Well, he would have been bragging to his other skanky frat brothers for days."
"Get real, I wouldn't have done anything with him."
"What you want, doesn't really matter to that guy."
"What?"
"Doredy, huh?" Ashley spoke, ignoring the questioning look Spencer was giving her. Learn to keep your damned mouth shut Davies. "You see that statue of the uptight guy who looks like he's got a stick shoved up his ass?" Spencer nodded, feeling her mouth lift up in a half smile. "Yeah, that building that you're also now looking at, directly behind the ass man statue? That's Doredy."
"But...but how?" Spencer studied her map with a frown, "This thing says that Doredy is on the other side of campus!"
"That's because," Ashley reached over, flipping the map, "your map is upside down. That could put a bit of a damper on things."
"Then how did I keep ending up in the quad?"
"You probably didn't end up in the same quad. Didn't you read the 'come to our school' propaganda pamphlet?" Ashley schooled her face into one of absolute seriousness, lowering her voice as far as possible. "Bustling with student life, this is the place to bring your creative and pot smoking dreams to reality! Live with the granola heads, hug trees, and enjoy insane amounts of ultimate frisbee on over twelve campus quads!" She raised an eyebrow as she continued, "What's that you ask? How are our professors? Uh, um, we've got quads! Lots of quads!"
"That is not" Spencer spoke, holding back laughter, "what that paphlet said."
The brunette shrugged, "Well, that's what it should have said." She cocked her head to the side, making a sudden decision. "Here," she pulled a pen from the pocket of her low rise jeans, hastily scribbling across the top of Spencer's map, "call my cell, or IM me if you have questions or whatnot." She threw a wink at Spencer, "Good luck finding your way around blondie. And remember," she called over her shoulder as she walked away, "right side up, my dear, right side up."
Now that was certainly…different. Spencer turned her attention back to Doredy building. "Neat," she muttered to herself. "European literature during the Victorian period. Sounds...absolutely boring."
OopsIdiditAgn: ashley?
RevolutionAsh: Yeah. . .who's this?
OopsIdiditAgn: spencer
RevolutionAsh: . . . . . . .
OopsIdiditAgn: i was looking for doredy hall earlier?
RevolutionAsh: Yeah, no. I still have no clue.
OopsIdiditAgn: i was reading my map upside down!
RevolutionAsh: Hahaha, I knew who you were. I just wanted to see if you would admit to reading your map that way.
OopsIdiditAgn: very funny...are you doing anything 2night?
RevolutionAsh: I'll answer that question as soon as you tell me what is up with that s/n!
OopsIdiditAgn: i...uh...that was my favorite song when my parents finally decided to get internet...
RevolutionAsh: You do know you can change it, right?
OopsIdiditAgn: u can? i mean, yeah, okay, so what? about what I asked, are you busy tonight?
RevolutionAsh: It's the first day of school Spencer, nobody's busy the first day. Can't wait to see me again, huh?
OopsIdiditAgn: i could if i wanted to...wait...nevermind. just someone invited me to this party and i didn't want to go alone so could you, maybe...
RevolutionAsh: Sure, I'll come keep you safe. Hahaha, where's this party?
OopsIdiditAgn: howell street, 2314
RevolutionAsh: That's chill. I'll meet you there in thirty, alright?
OopsIdiditAgn: great, thanks a lot
RevolutionAsh: No big. Peace out.
OopsIdiditAgn k, bye
"Welcome to your first frat kegger," Ashley said with a grimace, tugging nervously on the brim of her hat as she and Spencer stepped into a scene of Animal House, only this version was updated for the year 2006.
"Um, thanks?" Spencer found herself yelling to be heard over the pounding bass that shook the house to its very foundations. They could at least play the Black Eyed Peas, there's something to dance to...how exactly do I 'shake my groove thang' to gangsta rap? "There're a lot of people here!"
"It is one of the first parties of the year Spencer, everyone is trying to get wasted. They've been deprived all summer!" She waggled her eyebrows, "It's damned near impossible to take a shot of vodka at the dinner table if your parents are there...well, you could, but really that would earn you quite a bit of time in hell, giving your parents heartattacks on the Lord's day...all things considering."
She has the dryest sense of humor..."That would be a little wrong, huh?" Ashley simply shrugged her shoulders, a smirk resting on her mouth.
Blondie's lost in this place. "Look," Ashley leaned over, speaking into Spencer's ear so she would no longer have to yell. "You want a beer or something?"
"Don't I have to pay?" Wow...she's standing a little close...I guess, that alright. The party is crowded.
Ashley made a show of looking her new found blonde friend up and down, "You? No, I'll cover you this once." She pulled her wallet from the back pocket of her slightly sagging cargo pants, oblivious to the light blush that rose to Spencer's face. "Just remember, whenever you head to a kegger, bring at least six bucks, that'll cover the charge some people put on being able to drink from the keg, alright? I'll be back."
Spencer watched her closely as she exited the room, disappearing into what she assumed was the kitchen. What was that look all about...and...is she wearing boxers? Isn't that a little weird? She thought, moving to lean against a wall, waiting for Ashley's return.
"Yo, big Brad!" Ashley called out, as she saw the bear of a college student in charge of dispensing the keg's beer. I wouldn't be suprised if he could bench press the damned thing...while it's full
"Ash!" The big man dropped the keg hose, laughing as he picked up Ashley in a hug.
"Big B?" Ashley wheezed out.
"Yeah, Ash?"
"Dude, you're hurting me!"
"Oh, sorry!" Brad quickly sat Ashley back on the ground, "Nothing too bad?"
Ashley let out a laugh, "No, nothing's broken...this time. But hey, I need to pay for myself and my friend." She handed over the cash, only to have Brad refuse it.
"No way Ash," he shook his head vehemently, "you're not drinking, remember?"
"Brad." Ashley deadpanned, leveling him with an aggravated stare.
"C'mon Ashley, remember how bad it got last year?"
"That, my friend, was last year." She tucked the money into the front pocket of his shirt. "This year is something completely different. Stress less," She stated, nodding towards two of the plastic red cups resting on the counter, "and kindly fill those up."
Brad sighed, and scratched nervously at the red goatee that covered the lower half of his face, before giving in. "Fine, but Ash, please...keep it chill, alright?"
"As an ice cube," she promised, taking the beers from large hands before he changed his mind, "thanks man." Ashley exited the kitchen, looking for Spencer, her eyes scanning the overly crowded room. This has got to be some sort of fire hazard. I mean, seriously...She found her target, and began heading over towards the blonde girl, not at all suprised to see her talking to a guy who looked more than interested. Yup, I'm not suprised. She's not what you'd call average looking...
"Listen, I'm really not interested." She heard Spencer saying as she got closer. The blonde looked up and Ashley found herself locked in a gaze of electrifying blue, silently pleading for help.
"Here ya go." Ashley stepped in between Spencer and the blockhead, keeping her back turned to him, as she handed over a cup of beer.
"Excuse me," the idiot grabbed Ashley's shoulder, spinning her roughly around, "but I think you saw I was in the middle of something."
"Oh, that pitiful sight of you trying to pick up someone who clearly wasn't interested?" She tilted her head up, so she looked him in the eye, "I definitely saw it. Noted it, laughed at it, and discarded it."
"You think you're funny don't you?" He took a step closer, his jaw clenching and unclenching in rising anger.
Is this guy for real? "No, I don't think I'm funny," Ashley replied, inching her hand up to her belt, fingering the switch blade she kept tucked away, "sarcastic? Cynical? Even bitchy I think I would agree with, but funny? No, but how about you get lost, huh? Or do you need me to spell it in braille on your forehead?"
"Your opinion doesn't matter...the chick hasn't said anything yet." He squared his shoulders, trying to make himself appear larger.
"See, I wasn't kidding." Spencer said, stepping up behind Ashley, and laying a hand against the small of her back, suprised to feel the tenseness that resided there, as if the brown-haired girl were simply waiting for a reason to pounce. "I'm not really into cheating."
"He ain't gotta know anything." The boy leered.
"Right, but she kind of already does."
Ashley had to work at keeping her eyes from widening in shock at Spencer's announcement. She's good...here I was ready to slice and dice the dick, and she takes care of it, no blood shed. Hah. "You heard her. Back off," she growled. "the chick isn't interested."
"Are you fuckin' kidding me?" The girl's only stared mutely back at him, one with a look of annoyance, the other seething without something he had no intentions of unleashing. "Whatever, fuckin' dykes." He spat the words out, before turning on his heel and disappearing into the gyrating mass of people who hadn't even noticed a thing.
Ashley felt some of the tension drain from her, "How about we get out of here?" Spencer nodded, still having not released her grip on Ashley's hand. "Rule number two-hundred eighty-two of college survival: if you end up beefin' with somebody at a party, leave. Things always escalate if you don't."
"Didn't think the night would be that eventful." Spencer spoke, once they had gotten outside and began walking the four blocks back to campus.
"Hah, well, the night isn't over yet. We were in there for about thirty minutes, tops. There's still plenty to get into."
"Yeah, I guess you're right..." she nibbled on her bottom lip, contemplating whether she should ask her question or not.
"Spill it."
"But...I hadn't even said anything!"
"Doesn't mean you didn't look like you had something to say. So go ahead, say it."
"When you were arguing with that guy, what were you holding onto?"
Ashley released Spencer's hand, having forgotten she was even holding it, and pulled her knife from her pocket. "This."
"Why...why would you carry something like that?"
"For protection, it's better than carrying a gun." Noting the puzzled look on Spencer's face, she expanded on the idea. "You can accidentally shoot someone, kill them, but you can never accidentally stab someone. If you do that, that's purposeful, and you really have to be aware of what you're doing. So, I think they're better that way."
"I guess that makes sense." Spencer stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, spreading her arms out before her, "Where to now?"
"There's another kegger on Mills Street."
Spencer rolled her eyes, "How about not...I was thinking something with a little less excitement, and possibly something that won't have me downtown explaining how you turned some moronic frat boy into human sushi. Not exactly my idea of a good time."
"Tia's. We can go there, it's this little italian restaurant bout ten blocks east. Their strombolis are kick ass."
Spencer's eyes lit up. "That has to be the most amazing idea I've heard all day."
"I take it you're hungry?"
"Starved."
